Method of and apparatus for treating organic substances



J. N. ALSOP.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORGANIC SUBSTANCES. APPLICATION FILED Nov. I2. 1920.

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J. N. ALSOP.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORGANIC SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV; I2 1920. 1,402,204, Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

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METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING ORGA NIC SUBSANCES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- I2 Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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JAMES N. ALSOP, 0F OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY. ASSIGNOR TO PACKEBS MEAT SMOKING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

WARE. l

CORPORATION OF DELA- METHOD 0F .AND APPABTUS FOB TREATING ORGANIC SUBSTANCES.

A vSpeeieation of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 3, i922..

Application led November 12, 1920. Serial No. 428,596.

To all whom t may camcom: N

Be iknown that I, JAMES N. LSOP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uwensboro, in the county of Daviess and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apf paratus for Treating Organic Substances, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for curing substances which it is desirable to treat for the purpose ofrcuring, conditioning, or otherwise impart-ing thereto the characteristics of any treating media which are capable of or suitable for utilization for the purposes of practicing my invention.

In the present disclosure of my invention1 l shall describe and illustrate it as applied to the curing of meats. and the specific curing disclosed willbe the smoking of meats.

Whilethe present disclosure utilizes the smoking of meats as an illustrative example of the uses to which my process and apparatus may be put, it will be understood that this example is merely illustrative and in no sense restrict-ive of my invention, as it is obvious that it maybe applied to the treatment of substances other than meats, and, furthermore, that treating agents otherv than smoke may be used.

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, l have shown in the accompanying drawings, somewhat conventionally, but with sufficient clearness to enable my invention to be practised, apparatus designed to carry out my method, and in said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in section, some of the parts being diagrammatically indicated, of an apparatus for practising my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the receiving and deliveryy opening or chute.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view onY `is provided with a house or container being conventionally and diagrammatically indicated. Said container receiving and delivery opening as are shown near the bottom thereof, and such opening may be provided with suitable closures hereinafter to be described.

Within the smoke house 10 are mounted a plurality of sprocket wheels 11, the number of which may, of course, be increased or decreased, dependent on the desired capac-ity of the smoke house or chamber to be installed.

The sprocket wheels l1 are disposed as shown, so as to provide up and down runs for sprocket chains 12 on which the substances, in this instance meat, to be treated will be carried.

The sprocket wheels 1l are preferably arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. :2, their shafts being suitably mounted in any preferred arrangement of bearings, so that the sprocket wheels will stand opposed to each other, as shown in Fig. :2, with the chains l2 passing over them, thereby giving a clearancebetween the facing sprocket wheels 11 for the passage of the substances carried by said chain. u

One set of sprocket wheels ll will be utilized as the driving set, that pair located in the upper right hand corner of the smoke house (Fig. l) being shown in the present instance as the driving sprockets. The sprocket driving mechanism will comprise any suitable driving means, and. as here shown.1 have adopted gear wheels 13, one on each of the shafts of the pair of driving sprocket wheels 1l, which gear wheels 13 mesh with driving gears 14 on a. shaft 15 mounted in suit-able bearings. one end of which shaft l5 may extend outside of the smoke house where it is provided with any suitable drive as a pulley, gear, or other equivalent. driving element 16.

The carrier chains 1:2 are shown in the present instance as coupled by 'cross-bars 1T, which cross-bars are provided with suitable suspending means, as hooks 1S. or equivalent devices. from lwhich the substances to be treated may be suspended.

With this construction. an endless flight of carrier chains is provided so that the substances to be cured may be carried in a zigzag fashion through the smoke house, passing from one sprocket to another, as indimaar cated, this arrangement giving a very cornpact construction.

It will be apparent, of course, that similar or other carrier means arranged in diherent or similar lines of travel may be provided, hut the present disclosure shows one ecient arrangement.

'lhe carrier chains at one point in their i line of travel are so disposed as to permit the ready loading and unloading ofthe meats or other substances to be cured, this point, as shown in the present instance, being .at the lower left hand corner `ot the smoke house or chamber, where there are arranged carrier pulleys 19, so that the lower leg of the carrier chain may be thrown outwardly over the pulleys 19, which pulleys are located conveniently to the loading and unloading station, so that a Workman may suspend the meats on the ingoing run of the carrier chain for treatment in the smoke house or chamber and remove the treated meats or substances from the outcoming run of the chain.

While I have shown, for the purpose of illustration, carrier chains 12 and hanger rods 17 so proportioned as to carry a single article to be treated, it will, of course, be understood that these proportions may be varied and the chains 12, their pulleys 11, and the rods 17 connecting the chains be of such proportions and so related as that a number of articles can be hung from the same carrier rod.

Adjacent the several runs of the carrier chains, I provide electrodes 20, these being disposed, preferably as shown in Fig. 1, parallel to and alternating -withthe runs of the carrier chain, the said electrodes 20 being preferably in the form of Wires hung at their upper ends from suitable sup ortsl21 insulated from the smoke house. he said electrodes 20 are preferably free at their lower ends and provided with a suitable weight 22 to maintain them in proper position, although, their lower ends could, of course, if desired, be fastened to insulating bars or supports similar to the bars or supports 21 at the upper end.

' I have shown in the resent example, as will be apparent from trede 20, this being disposed in alignment with the path of movement of the substances being treated. It will be obvious, of course, that the number of electrodes 20 can be increased and, preferably, there will be provided one electrode for each line of substances being treated so that in event of the proportions of the carrier chains being increased, Vas stated above, to provide for vsupporting several rows of articles being treated on the rod 17, there `would be rovided an electrode 20 for each of the lines of substances being treated, this, of course, heing mere duplication of the parts. f

1g. .1, a single elec-- 'fllhe electrodes 2Q are connected in any suitable manner, with a. source of electric current, and one satisfactory means for lead- .ing the current to the electrodes 2O is the provision of a conductor passing through the wall of the smoke house or chamber, which conductor will be connected at its in` ner end with the electrode 20, and at its outer end coupled with the lead wire from the source of electricity. This conductor 23 may, if desired, be a rigid conductor, and will, in that case, serve to maintain the electrode 20, if it be of the loose swinging type, in substantially the same position.

The electrodes 20, described,J when connected in circuit as setforth, preferably become the positive elements or anodes of the apparatus.

The carrier chains 12 and their sprockets are grounded in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the ground wire 23', shown in Fig. 3, so that they, together jvith the substances carried on the chain, become preferably the negative terminals or cathodes of the apparatus, and an electrical field is created through which the substances to he treated pass as they travel over the sprockets arranged as described, in the smolre house. y

While the relation of the anodes and lcathodes to one another may, of course, be

varied, and will probably be varied under different conditions, I have found in the apparatus which I have used, that a' distance of 30 inches between the electrodes 20, giving a clearance of 15 inches on eachside of the chains 12 is satisfactory forvstandard sizes of meats, but with diiferent substances and with meats of different sizes, it is obvious that variation in the disposition of the parts and their relative distances from one another may be resorted th and still be with'- in the range of my invention.

The anodes 20 are, as stated, connected `with a source of electricity, and this may be either a static machine, an induction coil, a

direct current generator, or an alternating current generator. In my present experiments, I have found that an alternatin current, say 220 volts, the usual municipa voltage, passed through a transformer to step the current up to the degree required and then rectiiied to give a unidirectional current is admirably suited to my purpose.

Phase,.voltage, and amperage of the current used may, of course, vary. In my experiments I have used currents ranging from a voltage which will produce, in air, a sparlr from 3 inches up to 10 inches, so that it will be seen a Wide range,fboth in current phase, intensity, and flow is permitted in practising my invention. These examples of suitable electrical conditions are glven merely to illustrate what I have determined, hy my experiments, to be practicable, but

it is to be understood that l do not confine myself,by reason of giving these practical examples, to any particular range of current flow, phase or intensity.

Under the conditions and with the apparatus specified, the negative. side, namely, the carriers with the meats suspended thereon, is brought to a highly electrified condition while in the electrical field, and, in such condition, takes up very rapidly the treating agent, in this case a curing smoke, and meats so treated will, in much less ltime than is now possible with present smoking methods, become uniformly and completely smoked.

For example, with the apparatus conventionally illustrated in the drawings, the meat is in transit in the smoke house for substantiallyT minutes, and is in the electrical lield substantially 15 minutes; whereas, under present smoking methods, the period of time required to smoke meats of the standard sizes is a considerable number of hours; and, as is well known, to give what is called a hard smoke to meats, a greater length of time is required.

One great advantage of the system of.

` smoking meats herein disclosed, in addition to they saving in time of curing, is that the heats `are not subjected to high temperatures and consequent shrinkage in weight by reason of loss due to heat, and the per- Centage of in weight over the present known methods is, therefore, very considerable.

Under the present methods, heat is essential to proper smoking, as the meat will not, while cold, take the curing agent at all satisfactorily, and unless the meat is -brought to a relatively high temperature,

the period of curing 1s correspo jm o'l lengthened. Meats `cured by the old mliith: ods, since they are necearily subjected to a relativelyy high temperature, lose. to a considerable extent, their firmness, whereas, by my method and using my apparatus the meam are not subjected to the action of heat, the temperature remaining substantially the e during the treatment of the meats in the smoke house.

- Furthermore, since the rapid smo of the meat in this electrified condition occupies but a small period of time, the saying in the curingagent is considerable. ln the case of smoking meats with hickory smoke,

for example, this item of cost of the curing t tu to considerable in the han- 1 of ge tches of meats, as w or By practising my process and utilizing the apparatus described, frh meats may be cured very satisfactorily, asthe curing action is so rapid and uniform that there is no opportunity for putrefaction to set in.

las would be the case were it attempted to manner, but preferably I will introduce that smoke by means of a. suitable blower 26, conventionally shown in Fig. 1. this blower 26 being supplied from any suitable source with smoke or other treating agents and delivering to the smoke house or chamber 10, preferably near the bottom thereof, so that the smoke, after being introduced, will envelop the apparatus and the substances being cured and will then pass upwardly in the smoke house. l find that under the conditions of electrilication described, the smoke is very rapidly taken up by the meat, so that the air in which the smoke constituents are suspended rises to the top of the chamber or house in a relatively lpure condition. This air may. of course, pass out through suitable ventilating openings or be disposed of in any usual manner. but preferably there will be provided an exhaust apparatus 27 comprising the exhaust fan coupled into the smoke house or chamber 10 at the top thereof and having any suitable delivery pipe..

The relative speed of introduction of smoke into, and exhaustion of air from. the smoke house or chamber 10 through the blower 26"and the exhaust fan 2T may. of course, be varied to meet conditions -and regulated in accordance with the needs of the work being performed.

ln my experiments and use of the apparatus l have so proportioned the blower 26 and exhaust device 27 as that the exhaust 27 would have a capacity slightly greater than the blower 26, so as to insure the movement of the smoke upwardly through the smoke house or chamber and guard against the smoke escaping through the loading opening 28, where the workman put on and remove the meat om the carrier chain.

The blower 26 and exhaust device 27 may, if desired, be supplemented by what I term avsmoke lock `to further guard against egres of smoke through the loadingr ope-ning` 28, and in Figs. 3 and 4 ll have shown one satisfactory a :i 1 J 1| entfor preventing the escape of smoke.

The loading opening 28 extends from the container 10 a considerable distance and is provided interiorly with spring doors. There are two sets of spring doors 29, preferably arranged as shown, one set between the runs of the carrie-r chain 12, and the other set below the carrier chain so that between the two sets of spring doors an eective lock is provided.

These spring doors 29 will be automatically opened, preferably by suitable projections 30 on the chain, which projections 30 are arranged adjacent the points ot suspension of support of the meat and are ot sumcient length to maintainthe doors 29 in open position until the meat has passed through, whereupon the spring doors 29 will automatically close. f

With this arrangement it will be seen that as the chain travels in and out of the container 10 through the loading openin 28, the spring doors I29 will be opened and c osed automatically so that the meat will pass, both as it is fed to the smoke house and delivered therefrom, into the smoke lock and the egress of smoke through the loading opening Will be prevented, thus eliminating all danger of the escape and consequent annoyance of smoke through the loading openmg.

While I have shown the carrier chains as 4 forming the negative side of the apparatus,

and the electrodes lying between those chains as the positive side of the apparatus, and this, according to my present experiments, is the best disposition of the parts. the treatment could be accomplished by making the chains and the substances carried thereby the positive side, and the electrodes lying between the chains the negative side of the system. The results, however, are not as satisfactory, and from a practical standpoint, of course, it is more desirable that the chains form l, the negative and. grounded side of the system, as there is then no danger to the Workmen who are manipulating the apparatus and placing the meat upon and removing it from the carrier chains.

I have also found in the practice of my invention that ood results may be obtained by suspending titi l be cured both from the negative terminals and the positive terminals. I prefer, however, the arrangement and apparatus herein shown and described, although, so far as the mechanical features of the apparatus are concerned, it will be understood that they may be varied within wide limits without de# parting from'my invention.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an apparatus is provided and a method is disclosed by which the continuous smoking of meats may be expeditiously and satisfactorily carried on. While I have referred to meat throughoutA the specification as being the substance treated, I contemplate the treatment of other edible substances, potable liquids, and in fact any substance which it is desired to rapidly and thoroughly impregnate vwith a treating agent. f

I claim: 1. The method of treating substances, which consists in movin them through an electrical field, and subjecting them while passing through suchfield to the action of a treating agent.

e meats or other substances to attenua 2. The method of treating meat, which consists in moving it through an electrical field, and subjecting it While passing through such eld to the action of a treating agent.

3. The method of smoking meat, which consists in moving it through an electrical field, and subjecting it While passing through such field to the action of a smoking agent.

42. The method ot treating substances, which consists in bringing the substances to an electrified condition, moving the substances so electrified past a terminal of opposite polarity to that of the electrified substance, and While in such relation subjecting them to the actionot a treating agent.

y 5. The method ot treating 'substances which consists in constituting such substances the negative terminal ot an electric circuit, moving them past a positive terminal, and While so moving them subjecting them to the action of a treating agent.

6. The method of treating meat, which consists in constituting such meat the negative terminal of an electric circuit, moving it past a positive terminal, and While so movf ing it subjecting it to the action of a treating agent.

7. The method ot' smoking meat, which consists in constituting such meat the negative terminal of an electric circuit, moving it past a positive terminal, and while in such condition subjecting it to the action of a smoking agent.

8. The method of smoking meat, which consists in subjecting such meats to one of ,the terminals 4of an electric circuit, moving it past a terminal of opposite polarity, and While in such conditionsubjecting it to the action of a smoking agent.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a suitable container, an elec. tric terminal in said container, means for moving the substance to be treated past said terminal and through the electric field created thereby, and means for introducing a treating agent into said container.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container,electric terminals of opposite polarities in said lcontainer, means for moving one of saidterminals relative to the other, meanslfor supporting the substance to be treated' on one of said terminals, and means for introducingxa treating agent to said container.

11: In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container, electric terminals of opposite polarities in 'said container,`means for moving one of said terminals relative to the other, means for supportingV the substance to be treated on the movable terminal, and means for introducneoaaoa movable negative electric terminal in said container, means for supporting the substance to be treated on said movable negative terminal, and means for introducing a treating agent to said container.

13. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container, a plurality ofelectric terminals in Vsaid container, a movable carrier passing between said terminals, means for supporting'the substance to be treated on said carrier, and means for introducing a treating agent `to said container.

lil. In apparatus of Ythe class described, the combination of a container, a plurality of positive electric terminals in said container, a carrier of opposite polarity, movable between said positive terminals, means for supporting the substance to be treated on said carrier, and means for introducing a treating agent to said container.

15. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container, a plurality of positive electric terminals in said container, an endless carrier of opposite polarity passing between said positive terminals, means for supporting the substance to be treated on said carrier, .and means for introducing a treating agent to said container.

16. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container, a plurality of staggered or offset electric terminals in said container. an endless carrier of a p0- larity oppositethat o said terminals threaded through and aboutsaid terminals, means for supporting ,the substance to be treated on said endless carrier, and means for intro- .duciiig a treating agent to said container.

1T. In apparatus of theclass described, the combination of a container, a plurality of vertically disposed and horizontally osetl` electric terminals in said container, an endless carrier of a polarity opposite to the polarity of said terminals threaded between and about said terminals, means for supporting the substance to be treated on said carrier, and means for introducing a treating agent to said container.

1S. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container, a plurality of fixed electric terminals therein, an endless carrier of opposite polarity to the polarity of said fixed terminals threaded between and about said terminals, means for driving said carrier, means for supporting substances to be treated upon said carrier, means for introducing to said container a treating agent, and means for exhausting said container.

19. In apparatus of the class described,

` the combination of a container,r an electric terminal in said container, carrier slupporting pulleys in opposed and spaced ation in said container, a carrier of opposite polarity to the Lplolarity of said terminal mounted on said p eys', means for driving said pulleys and carrier, means for supporting substances to be treated on said carrier, means for introducing a treating agent to said container, and means for exhausting said container.

20. Apparatus for eecting the cont-inuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantially closed container, an endless meat carrier mounted in said container and acceible from the outside of said container for the deposit. thereon and removal therefrom of meat. means for driving said carrier, means in said container for creating an electrical field alongI` and about the path of movement of said carrier and the meat thereon. and means for introducing` smoke to said con- 80 taiiier.

21. Apparatus for effecting the continuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantially closed container. spaced-apart carrier pulleys in said container, an endless doublechain carrier having transversely disposed` meatsupporting connections mounted on said pulleys and accessible from the outside of said container for the deposit and removal of meat, means for driving said carrier, means lin said container for creating an electrical field along ,and about the path of movement of saidcarrier and the meat thereon, and means for introducing smoke to said container.

2'2. Apparatus for effecting' the continuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantiallyclosed container having an opening in its wall for recei U and delivering meat, an endless meat. carrier in said container a motion 01|? which is accessible through said opening, means for driving Said carrier. means in said container for creating an electrical field along and about a section of the carrier and the meat thereon in said container, and means for introducing' smoke to said container.

23. Apparatus for edecting the continuous smoking of meat, comprising asubstantially closed container having an opening in its 11o wall for receiving and delivering meat, an endless meat carrier having a leg Within said container and a second leg delivering to said opening. means for driving said carrier, means for creating an electrical field along 1w and about the said first-named leg, and means for introducing smoke to said container.

2l. Apparatus -for eecting the continuous smokingl of meat, comprising a substantially 11.20 closed container having an opening in its wall for recei and delivering meat, an endless meat carrier ,ha 0 a vertically disposed leg within said container and a second horizontally disposed leg delivering to said 12a opening, means for driving said cai-rier. means for creating an electrical field along` and about the said vertically d- New? and means for introducing smo to container.

s v said liao d5. Apparatus for effecting the continuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantially closed containerhaving an opening in its `vvall for receiving and delivering meat, an endless meat carrier in said container having a plurality of vertically disposed legs and a horizontal leg delivering to said opening, means for driving said carrier, means adjacent each vertically disposed carrierl leg to create an electrical' eld along and about said leg and the meat thereon, and means for introducing smoke to said container. Y*

26. Apparatus for edecting the continuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantially closed container having an opening 'in its wall for receiving and delivering meat, an endless meat carrier in said container having a plurality of vertically disposed legs and a horizontal leg delivermg to said opening, means for drivin said carrier, means adjacent each vertica ly disposed carrier leg to create an electrical field along and about said leg and the meat thereon, means for introducing smoke to Said container, and means to cause movement of the smoke introduced to said container away from said opening.

27. Apparatus for electing the continuous smoking of meat, comprising a substantially closed container having an opening in its wall for receiving and delivering meat, an endless meat carrier in said container having a pluralit of vertically disposed legs and a horizon al leg delivering to said opening, means for driving said carrier, means adjacent each .vertically dis-j' posed carrier leg create an electrical field along and about said leg andthe meatfthere! on, means for introducing smoke -to said container, and an exhaust Vdevice to cause the smoke introduced 1n said container to move upwardly therethrough and prevent fits escape through' the meat receiving and i loading opening, a closure for said loading delivering opening. y

28. In apparatus of the class described, the comb1nat1on of a container having a opening, an endless carrier to receive and de liver through sa1d open1ng,'an-d means on sald carrier for opening said closures at prep determined intervals.

.29. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a container having a yloading opening, normally closed spring doors for said opening, an endless carrier to receiveA and deliver meat through said opening, and means on said carrier for opening said doors at predetermined intervals. 30. In apparatus of the class described,

inoaaoa l closures alternately at predetermined intervals.

32. ln apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container having a loading opening, a plurality of closures in said opening, an endless carrier to receive and deliver through said opening, and means on said carrier for opening the said closures alternately at predetermined intervals and maintaining each closure, in open position for a predetermined lengthof time.

33. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a container having a loading opening, a plurality of spring doors in said opening, an endless carrier'to receive and deliver through said opening, and means on said carrier for opening the said spring doors alternately at predetermined intervals and maintaining each spring door in open position for a predetermined length of time. 34:. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container having a loading opening, an endless carrier to receive and deliver through said opening, a plurality of closures disposed between the runs of said carrier, a plurality of closures disposed below said carrier, and means on said carrier for opening said closures alternately at predetermined intervalswand maintaining them in open position for a predetermined length of time.

35. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a container having a loading opening, an endless carrier to receive and deliver through said opening, a

m hand. Y

y JAISIES N. ALSOPt 

